


Fluorescent Adolescence

by kaplanisms



Category: Young Avengers
Genre: College AU, M/M, Non-powered AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-29
Updated: 2014-06-29
Packaged: 2018-02-06 18:35:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1868106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaplanisms/pseuds/kaplanisms
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Young Avengers College AU fan fic centred from the point of view of Billy Kaplan. Set in an as yet unnamed New York College/University in a universe where Marvel exists as comics, films and related media.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fluorescent Adolescence

**Author's Note:**

> "It had taken a while to get all the stuff into his room and organised. His parents wouldn’t leave until they were sure he’d set up and clothes were in the wardrobe. Posters in place, Captain America, Iron Man and the Scarlet Witch dotted the room. Comics in neat sleeves, obvious which are his favourites and figures on the desk, he’d already made it like his room at home. This was his home now, for term time anyway. Billy had been lying on the bed, trying to find a position he could get comfortable in, debating whether or not to take a walk round campus. The brochures said fall was one of the best times of year for it, the colours on the leaves changing painted it in a very unique light."
> 
> A Billy Kaplan Tumblr RPer's first attempt at a fan fic.  
> Possible triggers include language, m/m and m/f relationships.

Since his exams, it had all been leading up to this point. College was starting and to be frank he to say he was nervous was an understatement and a half. Billy had been bullied pretty much all his way through high school, people like the simian John Kessler had picked him out when they first started as an easy target: small, lean, nerdy. It made him the perfect stuffing for the lockers that donned the halls of his high school, then he realised he was gay. In a sense he’d always known but it was revelation that the high school bullies sensed like a shark senses a drop of blood in water, they locked on but he’d survived all that.

If you’d asked him last week, Billy would’ve said he couldn’t wait for college to start, no more high school bullies instead people of the same interests and no more algebra. Though now, standing at the gates with his bags that confidence and excitement had gone, long gone. Flown out the window and jumped straight into the Hudson River never to be seen again, at least that’s what it felt like. Taking a quick look around to see if there was a route for a quick escape, nope, nothing, just his parents standing there, a fragile smile on their faces.

 _I’m moving out, it’s a big day for them and for me. I’ve got to do this_. He thinks before throwing them a quick smile, nodding, picking up his bags and heading inside with them following in close pursuit.

Billy took a look around and once again, the grandeur of the place hit him. The hall was huge and the line of people signing up and collecting keys was even longer. He wasn’t too sure what to do and was about to head off to join the line when a voice spoke out.

“Ah, Rebecca, It’s been too long!” A cheerful yet clear and strong voice called out and made its way over to them. A tall man with dark and greying hair stood before him when the crowd had thinned to let him through. There was an impressive air about him, it put Billy on edge somewhat yet his parents were completely relaxed.

“It has been too long Steven.” Billy’s mother smiles as the other man, Steven, picked up her hand placed a gentle kiss on it. “How has the latest book been going?”

“As yet unfinished but now is not the time for work talk. Busy day ahead with welcoming the new students,” He smiles before turning to Billy. “You must be the young master Kaplan, I’m Dr Strange but you can call me Steven. I’ll be your personal tutor, if you have any problems, my door is always open. Now let us get you registered and get your keys so that you can settle in.”

Billy nods, he heard the name mentioned before. Though now he had a face to put to the name and at least he had met him before their first lecture or tutorial, it put him at ease somewhat. He was in trusted hands though he couldn’t shake the thought creeping into his mind.  _Strange by name, strange by nature_  but he was a family friend, it could’ve been a lot worse. The other soon returned with a bit of paper and the keys to his room.

“If you’d just sign here to say you’ve arrived…” The other says and Billy does just that, signing the paper and taking his keys.

 _Well, that was easier and quicker than expected_. Billy thinks with a quick sigh of relief as he ushers his parents back outside.

“So, the hall I’m in is…” Billy takes a quick look at the map he was handed on entrance. “…Just round the corner.”

-

It had taken a while to get all the stuff into his room and organised. His parents wouldn’t leave until they were sure he’d set up and clothes were in the wardrobe. Posters in place, Captain America, Iron Man and the Scarlet Witch dotted the room. Comics in neat sleeves, obvious which are his favourites and figures on the desk, he’d already made it like his room at home. This was his home now, for term time anyway. Billy had been lying on the bed, trying to find a position he could get comfortable in, debating whether or not to take a walk round campus. The brochures said fall was one of the best times of year for it, the colours on the leaves changing painted it in a very unique light.

It was about that time, there was a knock at the door that caused Billy to jump out of his skin. Once his spine had settled back in its original position, he made his way over to the door, unlocked and stared at the person standing in the door way.

“Er… hi?” Billy mumbles to the other, who quickly turned round.

“Hi,” The other smiled back, “I saw you move in, I’m Teddy Altman…” He trails off, as one of the posters catches his eye. “Captain America, right? I haven’t seen a poster like that in ages. I mean I see a lot of MCU ones but the actual comic one is rare these days, my store never has them in.”

Throughout the time Teddy was talking, Billy was just looking straight at him, mentally scanning the other and watching the way his muscles moved under his shirt as his hands, large hands went almost wild at seeing the poster.  _About six feet of strong muscular blond Adonis, into comics. No Billy no, don’t do this you’ve just met the guy._  He thinks to himself.

“Er… yeah, it took ages to find and… umm, I’m Billy.” Billy says through a nervous smile, trying to hide the fact he’d gone bright red and was avoiding looking the other in his bright blue eyes. Never had Billy ever been so thankful for someone to have piercings, to have something to focus on.

“Billy Shepherd. Right, got it.” Teddy says, the smile slightly less wide as if he could tell Billy was trying to avoid looking at him and that he’d just been checked out.

“Sorry what? No, I’m Billy Kaplan… not Shepherd…”

“Oh, right sorry. You just look like someone I met downstairs in the locker room. Though you were related that’s all. Well I’m just down the hall if you want to talk comics or heroes.” Teddy says, looking away from Billy now and beginning to head away.

“Yeah, I’d like that and… sorry. Hey, do you…” Billy cuts himself off, Teddy had gone and with him the feeling of going to see the campus. The feeling replaced with a hole in his stomach instead, the walk would have to wait, all he wanted now was to crawl under the covers and rue the fact he’d just thrown away the conversation with a guy he could’ve only ever dreamed about.

Billy had been lying there for a while and watched a couple of leaves fall from the tree outside his window, eventually deciding there was no point hiding under his covers all day. Yes, he had no classes today but he still had to eat, maybe if Teddy was there they could eat together. A sudden wave of warmth came over him when he imagined eating with Teddy, going for a walk with Teddy and just being with Teddy.  _I’ve just met the guy and fallen for him, he probably isn’t even into guys…_  He thinks sitting up and walking to the door and heading the other door he saw Teddy at, assuming that was his room.

“Just down the hall, Billy. Just ask, if he’s even there.” He mumbles whilst outside the door, though when the words left his mouth, the door opened and standing there wasn’t Teddy but someone else, a girl and his heart sank once again.

“No, he isn’t here. Whoever he is, ‘cause I’m Kate and definitely not a guy.” She smiles at Billy. “Hey cheer up, you look like need some food or something. Take your mind off whatever it is. Come on.”

“Huh, oh, no it’s cool I’m alright, really.” Billy begins to protest but to no avail, Kate had grabbed his arm and was leading him down the stairs into the cafeteria of their hall.

-

It was a longer walk that Billy was sure it would be but still they managed to get there. Whereas he’d avoided one queue already today thanks to that Dr Strange, he couldn’t see getting out of this one, not that he minded. It away from the room and where he’d seen Teddy was needed. Kate had been talking the whole way, though Billy couldn’t have said he paid much attention. When his minded had focused on her words he’d manage to grasp that she was a business major and her last name was Bishop. That rang a bell but he couldn’t piece it together where he’d heard the name from so he shrugged it off with a sorry and collected his food before being taken to a table where a couple others were waiting.  One guy in a blue t-shirt, another in a red jacket and they were soon joined by a white haired guy so seemed to look at Kate and then rush straight over to sit in between Billy and her.

“So _Tommy,_ decided you want to sit with us after all?” Kate asks.

“Nah, just you.” Tommy, the white haired one at the table responded, though that caused the guy in the blue t-shirt to take a stronger grip of the knife in his hand.

“Eli, chill.” The red jacket spoke up. “Save the anger for training.”

“Don’t tell me what to do  _Nate_!” Eli snaps. “I’m the captain remember.”

“Yeah, we all know.” Nate sighs to a glare from Kate and Eli.

An awkward hush comes across the table as they began to realise the looks they were giving each other were sharper than the knives on the table in front of them. As if they were waiting for someone to speak up to break the tension that had cast itself over the group of them.

“So…” Billy mumbles as he finishes off his meal. “What are people’s majors?” He asks hoping to try and restore a sort of peace to the group and move the dark cloud hanging over them to another table at least if not get rid of it all together.

“I’m psychology.” He chips in, hoping to get the others to talk.

“Mech Eng” Nate adds.

“History” Says Eli.

“Business and finance” Kate throws in.

“Whatever I feel like passing.” Tommy’s answer, “I’m here on athletics scholarship.”

“Art for me” A voice behind Billy says, a familiar voice, one he’d heard recently. Turning round and there he was, Teddy. He’d just put his tray down and resting a hand on Billy shoulder as he turns to face Nate and Eli. “You guys know we’re supposed to put the nets back right?”

“Yeah, we know.” Nate and Eli said in unison. “But you did it anyway.” Nate adds, picking his tray up and putting it away.

“I’ve got to read up for my first lecture tomorrow, see you.” Eli states going to do the same as Nate and clearing up whilst glaring at Tommy who’d just got closer to Kate. Tommy turns to Eli with a look of ‘ _What? Me.’_

Once again, awkwardness had returned, although it wasn’t awkward for the rest of them. Tommy had begun to get too close to Kate and she let him know. A quick elbow to his nether regions sent a couple of centimetres back and closer to Billy. That caused Teddy to whisper something to Kate, causing them both to laugh and both Tommy and Billy to look up at them with the same expression on their faces. Kate and Teddy both pulled out their phones to take a picture.

 _Why is he taking a picture of me?_  Billy thinks turning bright red, though the realisation that he was blushing caused him to shy away and look down once again.

“Come guys, it’s just you two look so much alike. You sure you aren’t actually related?” Kate asks and Billy looks up and catching the smile Teddy tried to send his way.

“What? NO!” Billy and Tommy shout together, almost in perfect sync, not helping their cause.

“I don’t know who you and we do not look alike.” Tommy huffs and crosses his arms, like the assumption of Kate and Teddy accuses him to take offense. He gathers his plate and tray and heads to put them away, despite both Teddy and Kate laughing at him and his reaction. Realising he forgot his green jacket he heads back over to the table. “I’m not related to beetroot over there.” He states pointing at Billy, “but if you like the idea of twins Kate, we can pretend.” He winks as he leaves.

“Does he realise he acts like a total creep sometimes?” Billy asks Kate and Teddy. They probably know him better, even by a couple of hours. Kate shakes her head and Teddy laughs once again. It’s a deep laugh, a nice laugh, one that Billy would like to hear more of, especially if he’s causing it. He throws a smile to them, proud of his achievement.

“Right boys, numbers.” Kate demands and Teddy pulls out a pen writing his down on a napkin and passing the napkin and pen to Billy, who does the same and hands it to Kate as asked.

His phone buzzes in his pocket and a nervous blush comes across his face, the message reads.

[Text: Unknown sender]: It’s Kate, you done trying to check him out and ready?

[Text: {Kate}]: I am not checking him out.

[Kate]: You so are, you two would make an adorkable couple and you know you want him.

[Text: {Kate}]: I don’t think we would.

-

A couple of minutes later after putting their trays and plates away, they were standing the doorway waiting to head out into the colder air of Fall. Much to Billy’s dismay it had started raining and he lacked a coat. Kate was giving him an unimpressed look as if to say  _‘New York in fall and you didn’t come prepared for going outside.’_ Which safe to say, he didn’t, after the incident with Teddy earlier all common sense had left his brain but there they were standing, waiting to let the cold air take them.

“So… are we just gonna wait until it passes?” Billy asks under his breath, before feeling a hand on his back pushing him outside. “Guess not then.” He frowns as the rain begins to get heavier once again, only this time he lacked the cover of the building they had just left.

“GOD Billy, it’s not far.” Kate moans in a voice that would suggest she was complaining, if not for her sarcasm and wide smile being present. To which Billy just glares before a shadow passes over him. Teddy. He had taken off his green parka jacket and was holding it above both his and Billy’s heads.

“That better?” The tall blond asks with a small smile. The light from the street lamps on campus was reflecting back up on to his face from the puddles that had formed on the old flagstones that made up the various walkways for getting from one building to another when the grass was either too wet and muddy or had recently been reseeded. The light was also causing his slightly wet piercings glisten and shine, the way it was dancing off them had mesmerised Billy. All he could think of was running his tongue over them and the rest of Teddy as he moved his face so that they could kiss. A quick shake of the head moved that image to the back of his mind, the last thing he wanted was for Kate and Teddy to see him suddenly hard and that would be awkward to say the least on their first day at college. Still Billy found himself leaning into Teddy and  _God did he smell nice, didn’t Nate and Eli say he’d just come over from practice of some kind? So he must’ve showered, so maybe it’s just the soap he uses._  He thinks as his mind begins to run wild once again as he felt a warm presence resting on his shoulder. Turning to look at the source of this heat, Teddy, a warm feeling begins to spread through Billy’s stomach. Either Teddy was just an Adonis with an amazing and caring personality or maybe he liked Billy.  _No, that can’t be it. We’ve just met but Kaplan, you’re already crushing on him._ So maybe his brain had a point but not one he wanted to entertain, he’d had enough of his hopes being raised and then dashed but super-hot, blond, hunky guys like Teddy who turned out to be total dicks.  _Jocks and nerds don’t mix, even if he said he likes comics you’re probably setting up for disappointment once again._

They set off in step, for Billy and Teddy they had no choice. If they wanted cover from the rain, they had to stay together even though Kate kept turning back to back to them with a grin every now and then and each time she did, Billy wanted to make a break for it. Stop the awkwardness just as soon as it had started. That was the problem for him though, it had started and Billy just wanted it to be over. Teddy just to say that he wasn’t gay and that being around Billy, who was, made him uncomfortable and that would be then end of it. They wouldn’t have to see each other, eat together and share cover under one person’s coat. Billy knew if that was the case he’d be hurt but he’d move on, he always has, even if that meant finding new friends.

Although the walk was short, it felt like it had taken forever for Billy. Fighting his internal monologue and the battle going on with his brain and his heart, he hadn’t noticed that they’d reached their destination.

“After you,” Teddy offers holding the door open after taking his coat down from their heads and Kate slips inside, Billy quickly follows. They headed up the stairs to their floor in pretty much complete silence. The quiet only broken by the sound of Billy’s sneakers squelching on the rubber that covered the edge of each stair, they say it was for grip but Billy after nearly slipping three times wasn’t so sure anymore. It didn’t take long from the stairwell to the first of their group’s room, Kate’s.  _Damn, why couldn’t she stick around until we’ve split?_ Billy thinks soon rueing the thought and the facial expression it must’ve caused for him to be getting funny looks from Kate and Teddy.

“So, I’ll see you tomorrow then?” Billy asks, hoping for their collective gaze to shift away from him before he begins to shrink further into himself.

“Yeah, see you guys at breakfast. I still need to sort my room out and unpack.” Kate seemed to sense that when she smiled and spoke again. “Oh and Billy, Jesus take the wheel!” She smirks as she shuts the door behind her.

“I’m Jewish,” Billy mumbles before turning to walk towards his room, with Teddy following him. They soon reached their own rooms and of course, Teddy’s would have to be right next to his. Billy quickly takes out his key to try and unlock the door but he fumbles and drops it. Going down to reach it and pick it up, his hand meets Teddy’s much larger hand, his soft and much larger hand. The contact causes him to blush profusely as they stand up, feeling the heat spreading Billy tries to take the key but Teddy holds on to his hand and gently places the key in the other’s palm.

“You don’t want to drop it again, you might lose it.” Teddy says, throwing Billy a concerned look. “You okay?”

 _No, no I’m not okay! I think I’ve just fallen in love with a guy I’ve just met who’s about six foot and gorgeous, like dream gorgeous._  Billy wants to say but the words that leave his lips as he opens his door are, “Yeah, fine. Just a bit wet.”

“That poster! It really is awesome, you’re lucky to have…” Teddy says cutting himself off as he scans Billy’s room from the door way. “Hey, Billy random question but now the rain’s stopped, I’m going to look around campus, want to join me after you’ve dried off, I mean we can talk comics and things as well, ‘cause it’d be nice to have someone to do that with that isn’t my mom…”

“You’re mom reads comics? Mine’s a psychologist and a friend of my personal tutor here, Dr Strange. She and the rest of my family are really nice but not into comics, that’s awesome.” Billy grins, seeming to have relaxed now that comics, the great leveller of men came up.

“It’s just me and mom back home. We tell each other everything. I mean I had friends back home and at school but there was this one guy, Greg, who was a dick and just tried to use us all. I managed to get out but didn’t have anyone else for the rest of the year.” Teddy explains, the warm smile beginning to go at the mention of Greg and his school days. “So yeah, I know a lot more about real estate than I probably should and she reads my comics that we can afford to get.” He laughs.

Billy finds himself beginning to reach out and touch Teddy’s arm to try and comfort him. He probably doesn’t need it but finds himself doing it anyway. “Hey, it’s okay. I spent most of high school without friends and being shoved into lockers. Apparently being Jewish, gay and…”

_Shit, did I just? I just did._

“…so, I wasn’t going to tell you that…” He trails off.

Teddy looks confused as Billy suddenly stopped, “Hey Billy, it’s and I’m cool with it. I mean Johnny Storm above your bed hints at that or a lack of wall space and there’s plenty of space.” He jokes towards the end, serious about the initial part, the part saying he’s cool with it.

“Yeah, I’ll dry off and…” Billy finds himself getting cut off by the rain, which decided now was the perfect time to put a dampener on both his hopes and the campus at the same time.

“And I’ll bring my box over and we can compare comics?” Teddy asks, finishing Billy’s sentence.

“Yeah, that sounds cool.” Billy nods.

-

[Text: {Kate}]: I think Jesus is an F1 driver

Hardly any time passes before Billy’s phone buzzes on the edge of his bed as he’s putting his comics away, they’d agreed to try out one of a series the other likes. Teddy had ended up with Young Justice and Billy had been given She-Hulk. Apparently Jen Walters reminded Teddy of his mother and it was a family favourite.

[Kate]: You move fast, what does he taste like?

[Text: {Kate}]: What?! NO!

[Kate]: So… Mr Kaplan, fill me in.

[Text: {Kate}]: He’s cool with me being gay and we spent most of the night reading comics. Also I’m gay.

[Kate]: That’s obvious you know? We met with you searching for him, remember.

[Text: {Kate}]: Oh yeah…

[Kate]: Fill me in at breakfast, a girl’s gotta know about her adorkable gay best friend’s first date but I need my beauty sleep.

[Text: {Kate}]: It was not a date!!!! I’m your best friend?

-


End file.
